Bushtail of Mossflower
by Green Phoenix Feather
Summary: A young squirrel named Bushtail decides she wants to do more with her life, so she heads out to Redwall, as it seems to be an action packed abbey. What she doesn't know, is that while she is preparing for a great feast, so is a scheming, masked fox looking for revenge on her new home.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

Bushtail sat on the edge of the River Moss, her fishing line drawn, waiting for a bite. She was to bring food back to the barn for Squire Julian and Captain Snow, who were generous enough to give her shelter. It had been exactly one year since she had come there, so she was preparing a special meal for that night.

Finally, there was a tug on the line and Bushtail began to pull the fish in with all her might. It was a rainbow trout, one of her favorites. With one last pull, she heaved the fish onto land.

'This should make for a nice supper.' The squirrel thought as she gutted the trout. 'I'll keep the head for Captain Snow; he said that was his favorite part.'

She cleaned her catch in the River and started a fire with her knife and a flint rock. As the fish cooked, Bushtail thought. 'What am I doing with my life? Will I live in the same old barn forever?'

The full meal was rainbow trout, oatcakes or acorn bread with honey, and an apple pie washed down with October ale.

"Where did you get all of this fine food?" Julian asked politely after taking a large gulp of October ale.

"I bought it from a peddler traveling to Redwall this morning." The squirrel explained.

"Yes, good, old Redwall." Julian commented. "We both have good friends living there."

"Like who?" Bushtail asked curiously.

"Well, there's Basil Stag Hare, Matthias the Warrior…"

"Those are both quite strange names." She giggled.

"Show some respect, child." Captain Snow said sternly. "They are both very noble heroes. You should be ashamed of yourself."

"Calm down, Snow," Julian said. "Don't be so hard on the girl. They are, after all, quite strange names."

"Don't you start, as well…"

As the two argued, Bushtail snuck out into Mossflower Woods. She found a slightly curved stick.

'Nice and firm.' She thought, trying to snap the stick with no success. She took out her knife and made notches on either end of it. She then took a leather bootlace and tied it tightly to the stick where she put the notches. She plucked the bootlace, making a small *boing* noise.

There had been battle between rat and mouse in that area long ago, but Bushtail easily found some sturdy, intact arrows.

She carved a target into the bark of a large tree, took aim with her new bow and arrows, and shot. The arrow landed about an inch away from the center.

"Huh," she smiled victoriously. "Must be genetics. Now, how am I to carry all of these arrows? Ah well, I don't need one yet."

**The next morning…**

Bushtail woke up in Mossflower Woods. She sat up, rubbing sleep from her eyes, recalling the night before and looked around for her bow and arrows. After gathering all of them, she tied the arrows in a bunch and put them in her satchel.

She walked back to the barn, still half asleep.

"Where have you been all night, Bushtail?" Julian asked worriedly.

"Making this." She showed them her bow she had made the previous night. Captain Snow snatched it from her grasp to examine it.

"Interesting…" he turned it over in his claws. Handing it back to the squirrel he said, "It would work well in battle. Keep it safe, it could be dangerous in the wrong paws."

"I'd like to know more about Matthias the Warrior." Bushtail requested of the two older creatures.

"Well, of course, every child should know the story of Cluny the Scourge's attack on Redwall Abbey." With that, Julian began to tell the young squirrel what he knew of Matthias.

"Sounds like a great hero." She commented once the story was over.

"Indeed he is." The cat agreed.

"He still lives?"

"Of course, the battle only ended a month before you came to these Woods." The owl replied. "Why, you could visit him where he lives."

"May I?" the squirrel asked eagerly.

"I suppose you may. You can use that bow?"

Bushtail nodded.

"Then what are you waiting for? If you're going on a journey you will need to pack supplies."

The squirrel packed her knife, a flint rock, and various other supplies, a loaf of acorn bread, a canteen of strawberry juice, and a small package of roasted chestnuts.

"I'll be off then." She was about to walk out the door when Snow halted her.

"Not without your bow." He presented the fine piece of weaponry to the young squirrel. "Now set out on your journey."

"Goodbye, friends." She bowed.

"Farewell, young squirrel."

With that, Bushtail set out into Mossflower Woods, to Redwall Abbey. After what seemed like hours of walking, she stopped to rest near a fallen beech tree. The sun was directly above head.

"Noontide, I s'pose." She opened her satchel and ripped off a small chunk of bread and a handful of chestnuts.

She could scarcely hear a vulgar slurping noise, until it started coming closer. Her ears perked up as she hadn't heard anything besides herself crunching chestnuts in over three hours. Readying her bow for an enemy, she stood up, looking in the direction of the sound. It was close.

Suddenly, another squirrel jumped out from behind a tree, sucking his paw. Bushtail put away her bow and greeted the male,

"Hello." She smiled in a very friendly manner.

"Hello." He replied in a similar tone. "I'm Sam, what's your name?"

They shook hands.

"M' name is Bushtail. I'm looking for Redwall Abbey, do you know where 'tis?"

"O' course, but it's a long way away." Sam glanced at the food the female had been eating.

Noticing this, Bushtail invited him to eat lunch with her which he accepted.

"D' you live at Redwall?" she asked her new friend.

"Yeah, old' Abbot Mordalfus makes it nice living' there." "D' you know Matthias the Warrior?" "I reckon everyone in Mossflower does." "I don't…" Bushtail hung her head. "That why you're coming to the abbey?" "Aye, just to say I met someone who done somethin' great." "Well, you did, I helped in the final battle against Cluny. Isn't that something great?" "Aye. You'd be right in that. But, I still would like to live in the abbey, maybe help in the kitchens or as a guard." She smiled at the thought "Being a guard be more exciting." When they had eaten their fill they set off for Redwall Abbey.


	2. Chapter 2

Bushtail opened her eyes to see a beautiful, cloudless sky. As she and Sam ate, Sam told her about Redwall.

"…We've two twin bells, Matthias and Methuselah."

"Methuselah?" Bushtail asked. "Who's Methuselah?"

"He was our old gatekeeper. Poor mouse was murdered." Sam shuddered.

"By who?" Bushtail gasped.

"A fox by the name of Chickenhound."

After they had eaten, they started walking again.

"So, Martin was the first warrior of Redwall?" Bushtail asked.

"Yes. What of it?" Sam replied.

"I've heard of him…"

"Well that's no surprise." Sam chuckled.

"Only once, I never learned of him. My mother only taught me about Lady Amber."

"I've learned about her. Sounded alright, for a girl."

Bushtail shoved him lightly, still making him stumble.

"What were you doing so far from the abbey?"

"I was out climbing trees, and I saw something moving about, far ahead. I thought I might be home by night, but you were further out than I had thought."

"How much longer before we arrive you think?" She squinted in the sunlight. She could see quite vividly a small building. "Is that it?" she asked, pointing to what she had seen.

"No, that would be St. Ninian's Church. Redwall is quite a bit bigger." Sam looked beyond the church and saw a speck in the distance. It was the abbey.

As they neared it, Bushtail was able to make out shapes of the large bell tower and the wall around it. They were very close. Bushtail was so eager, she speed to a sprint, going far ahead of Sam. Because of this, she could hear him warn her about the ditch, and she fell in.

_Slam!_

"Oof!"

"You'm be a'roight down thar, missy?" called an unfamiliar voice.

A mole popped it's head over the edge of the ditch.

"Yes, thank you." She called back as she dusted herself off.

She climbed out to see a few moles along with Sam Squirrel.

"Roight then, Sammy, yur mum's been worryin' so you'm best a'get movin'."

The two squirrels followed the moles to the abbey, where they were welcomed by a large badger yelling from the top of the wall,

"Who is the other squirrel?"

"My name is Bushtail of Mossflower." The female squirrel shouted.

"She's a friend, Constance." Sam called reassuringly.

With that, Constance opened the gates and let them in.

"There you are, ol' boy!" A hare bounded up in front of Sam. "And who's this?" he turned to Bushtail.

"This is Bushtail. Bushtail, this is Basil Stag Hare." Sam introduced the hare.

"Basil Stag Hare… I've heard of you."

"Have you, now. Great legend where you come from, I suppose?" Basil bowed.

"Not really…" Bushtail replied.

"'Not really'?! Either I am a legend or I am not."

"Well, Captain Snow talked about you-"

"Captain Snow, you say. Know him quite well. Saved his life once, dontchaknow!"

They talked as they walked to see the Abbot. As they passed through the Great Hall, Bushtail took one look around the room and froze.

"What are you staring at, ol' gal? Oh, I see you've spotted our Tapestry." Basil followed her gaze to the great, woven cloth.

It was an image of an armoured mouse, holding a long, beautiful sword.

"That there is Martin the Warrior." Said the voice of an old mouse.

"Ah, there you are, Mordalfus!" Basil greeted the elder.

"Who is this young squirrel?" Mordalfus asked.

"I am Bushtail." She bowed. "You must be Abbot Mordalfus."

"That I am, young one, that I am. Come, let us get you cleaned up and properly fed."

The Abbot lead Bushtail to the dormitories and provided her with a clean, red habit. Once she was dressed, she sat next to a baby bankvole named Rollo as the Abbot said a pray over the food.

"Fur and whisker, tooth and claw,

All who enter by our doors.

Nuts and herbs, leaves and fruits,

Berries, tubers, plants and roots,

Silver fish whose life we take

Only for a meal to make."

There was a loud and heartfelt 'Amen' from all.

After the fat Friar Hugo brought out the food, everyone began feasting.

She was content with less than what most others were eating. Out of the entire table to choose from, Bushtail picked a bowl of hotroot soup, a slice of buttered chestnut bread, a slice of Deeper'n'Ever Turnip'n'Tater'n'Beetroot Pie, and washed down with a glass of blackberry cider. This was all she needed. 


End file.
